Since the discovery of graphene, there has been an increase in two-dimensional (2D) materials research for their scalability down to atomic dimensions. Among the analogs of graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been of interest due to their exceptional electronic and optoelectronic properties. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), for example, is a TMD having several advantages over graphene and the industry workhorse, silicon (Si), including a thickness-dependent band gap.
However, several key obstacles stand in the way of the commercialization of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). One obstacle in the commercialization of TMD technology is low carrier mobility over large areas for top-down devices. Although there were several early reports on the synthesis of atomically thin molybdenum disulfide with moderate mobility, transferring large area grown films to a substrate of choice leads to interface charges that degrade mobility. Thus, the prior art is in need of new synthesis methods that can allow for the commercialization and improvement of TMD products.